We Need To Talk
by diangelonnico
Summary: Percy decides him and Nico need to talk. He decides he's going to take care of him.
1. Chapter 1

Percy sat down across from Nico di Angelo. 'We need to talk.' He said.

Nico looked down at his uneaten plate of food in front of him, then he looked Percy in the eye. 'Did Jason put you up to this? Or was it Annabeth? Maybe Hazel?' He asked with a slight smirk on his face. He was pissed off and he didn't want to talk to Percy freaking Jackson.

Percy pouted and looked at Nico with his endearing –beautiful – puppy dog eyes. 'I came myself. I just thought maybe, if we can get past all the bad blood, that maybe we could be friends. You know, sort stuff out.' He exhaled.

Nico sighed. 'It was Hazel wasn't it.'

Percy sighed too. 'Yeah,' He gave in. 'but I do want to talk, I do want to sort things out.' He continued.

Nico didn't. 'Well, I'm kind of busy today. I can't right now.'

'That's okay.' Percy said. 'We can meet later this week, in a coffee shop or something.'

'Can't you just IM me?' Nico asked, at least he could sort of lie there.

'No. I want to talk to you face to face.' Percy demanded.

Nico made a face.

'Nico, why do you hate me so much?'

'I don't hate you.' Nico said innocently. 'Fine, I'll meet you for coffee tomorrow. Promise.'

Percy agreed a time and place, happy with his achievements then he got up and started walking away. Then he realised that Nico might not actually show up, so before he left he made him swear on the Styx. Nico had grudgingly agreed to, which put a smile on Percy's face and a frown on Nico's.

The next day, Percy walked into the coffee shop, five minutes late, and found Nico sitting by the window watching the rain fall as if he felt sorry for the window being hammered with the water. The kid looked seriously worried and upset.

'Hey.' Percy smiled as he sat down in the booth opposite Nico. There was two cups of coffee on the table, one with Nico's thin pale hands wrapped round it, and one he was now pushing towards Percy.

'I brought you a coffee.' Nico said, his voice hoarse as if he'd been crying.

'Thank you.' Percy told him. He studied Nico's face for a moment. 'What's wrong?' He asked, because the way Nico looked something was clearly wrong.

'Nothing.'

'Are you worried about talking things through?'

Silence.

'yes.' Nico admitted. 'Very.'

'Don't be.' Percy said. Then he laughed. 'I'm scared too.'

'Where do we start?' Nico asked.

'I don't know. But if we're going to actually patch things up we can't have secrets. We tell each other absolutely everything, okay?'

Nico hesitated. 'Okay.'

'Do I need to make you swear on the Styx?' Percy asked, knowing Nico's tendancy to maybe not do as he asked.

'No. I promise. Do I need to make _you _swear on the Styx?'

'No, I won't keep any secrets.' Percy promised.

Nico looked nervous and like he wasn't going to say anything any time soon so Percy decided to start. 'I want to say sorry. I want to say sorry for all the times I've ignored you and all the horrible things I've caused to happen to you.' He started. He went on to explain how bad he felt and how he would try his best and about the past four years and the rocks they'd had to get over. Percy unloaded everything onto Nico, he told him everything.

When he had finished he took a deep breath. 'That's everything. It feels good to get it off my chest.' Percy breathed. Nico just looked at him, trying to process everything Percy had just said.

After a few minutes of silence, Nico closed his eyes took a deep breath and said, 'We agreed, no secrets right?' He asked then without waiting for an answer, 'I'm gay. And I had a massive crush on you for ages.'

Percy stared at him. He was not expecting that. 'Well, if I'm being honest.' Nico continued. 'I may _still_ have a crush on you.' Then Nico hid his face. 'I'm sorry. Maybe it was better to keep that one as a secret. Forget any of what I said today. Yeah, forget it.'

Nico tried to get up to leave but Percy stopped him. 'Sit.' He demanded. 'I don't care if you're gay Nico. I don't care if you have a crush on me. I care that you're my friend and that you feel as if you can tell me stuff like that. Does anyone else know? That your gay, not about the crush.'

'Only Jason. . . aswell as many various different gods, but they're gods, they don't count because they know everything anyway.'

'True.' Percy mused. 'How come Jason knows?'

Nico looked down 'I don't like to talk about it.'

'You didn't make a move on him did you?'

'Gods Percy, do I look the kinda guy that would make a move on someone like Jason Grace?'

'No. How did he find out then?'

'We, er, ran into Cupid on a quest, while you and Annabeth were ya know.' Nico pointed down and Percy nodded. 'And er, I was forced to admit my feelings. I don't really like to talk about it.'

'Oh.' Percy said. He didn't really know what else to say, so he decided to change the subject. 'Did you see that new marvel movie? The Avengers? Everyones talking about it' Percy said, in need of something to say.

Nico looked relieved that he had changed the subject and he even smiled slightly. 'No. But I used to read the marvel comics when I was little.' He mused. 'When they first came out, my mother used to buy them for me. Bianca hated them, but I loved them.' He carried on.

'The marvel comics came out decades ago' Percy exclaimed the realised 'Oh. . . yeah, never mind, sorry.'

'It's fine.' Nico sighed. 'I don't seem like I'm from the thirties. It all feels like a dream, everything I remember from back then. It doesn't feel like it actually happened. It's weird.' He told Percy. 'I'd like to watch that movie.' He smiled.

'Do you wanna borrow the DVD?' Percy asked. He got up and they walked out the café having finished their coffees. 'Wait, do you know what a DVD is?' He asked.

'Yes Percy, I know what a DVD is. I'm not as out of touch as Hazel is. Anyway, the underworld has a surprisingly big DVD collection.' Nico smiled.

'Is that what you do all day then? Sit and watch DVD's, in a room with a window overlooking punishment?' Percy joked.

Nico looked at him sceptically. 'Sometimes.' Then he laughed. 'It's getting late, I'm going home.' He continued. Then he looked at Percy. 'I . . . erm . . . I enjoyed this. It's nice, having someone to talk to, getting it all off my chest.'

Percy smiled and it lit up his whole face. 'I'd really like to meet up and talk again. Maybe we can be friends.' He said.

'Maybe.' Nico said to no-one in particular and off he went, through the shadows to who knows where.


	2. Chapter 2

In the past year, Percy and Nico had become best friends. They had absolutely no secrets and talked at least once every week. Nico was still fleeting, with his short visits and vague explanations but he was there a lot more. He was happier a lot more too. Percy couldn't believe that their relationship could do a complete 360 in less than a year, but it had, and he was so glad.

Nico was stood at the door of the apartment that Percy shared with Annabeth. Percy and Nico had only spoken on the phone yesterday; he didn't say anything about coming to visit. He looked tired and like he had been in the same clothes for a few days, if not a week. He had a shaggy black backpack on his back, that was basically falling apart and his sword was hanging by his side as always.

He looked down at the floor when Percy answered the door, as if he was embarrassed. 'Hey, Nico. I didn't know you were in New Rome.'

'I wasn't planning to be. Look . . .' Nico looked down at the floor again. 'Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight, I don't have anywhere else to go.' He said sadly.

'of course!' Percy said and moved to let him in. 'I'll get you the spare bedroom made up.' He promised.

'No, no, it's okay, I can take the couch. I don't mind.' Nico said.

'No. I'm making up the spare bed. I insist you use it.' Percy insisted.

Nico didn't say anything, because no matter how much of a burden he was being, a night spend in a real, proper bed would be very nice, he couldn't really remember what it felt like, he spent so much time skipping from place to place he didn't really look after himself, he didn't know how to. He was only fifteen.

'You can stay as long as you like Nico.' Percy told him before he went to make the bed.

'Well . . . would it be okay if I maybe stayed for . . . a couple of days?'

'Of course Nico, you're always welcome here.' Percy made sure Nico knew. He looked at Nico eyeing the fridge. 'When was the last time you had something to eat?' Percy asked.

'I don't know, a day, or two?'

Percy looked at Nico unimpressed. 'When was the last time you had a proper meal?' He asked.

'Last time I was at Hazels.' Nico awnsered.

'And when was the last time you were at Hazel's?'

'Not long ago.' Nico said, hiding something.

'How long?' Percy demanded.

'Two weeks?' Nico winced, actually telling him the truth.

'Right. Nico that's not good for you. You need to take care of yourself. When was the last time you had a shower? The last time you slept in a proper bed?' Percy questioned.

Nico looked down and awnsered timidly 'When I was at Hazel's. I did take a dip in the river on my way to dispatch that stupid spirit back to the underworld.' He added.

'Get your clothes off and get in the shower.' Percy demanded. 'I'll cook you dinner and get new clothes laid out for you in the spare bedroom. The shampoo and shower gels in the white cupboard in the bathroom.' Percy explained. Nico just stood there. 'Now.'

Nico turned round and went into the bathroom. Eventually, Percy heard the water running. Percy was determined to take care of Nico, because he obviously didn't know how to do it himself. He set some pasta on to cook and some sauce to heat and he went to go and find Nico some clothes. First he looked in Nico's back pack, but all that was in there was a small lump of ambrosia, an uneaten apple, a pair of boxers and a shredded, blood stained t-shirt. Percy sighed. He put the t-shirt in the bin and decided he better wash the boxers. He found some of his old clothes, a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt and and some underwear, that would probably fit Nico and laid it out on the spare bed. He decided that he would go shopping later and buy Nico some new clothes.

Percy went back to check on the pasta and just as he was about to plate it up, Nico came wondering through. He'd rolled the jeans up at the bottom since they were too big and the t-shirt was quite baggy on him. 'It was the best I could manage.' Percy told him.

'Thanks.' Nico muttered. 'You didn't have to give me your clothes.'

'Yes, I did.' Percy put down the plate of tomato pasta infront of Nico on the breakfast counter. 'now eat.' He commanded.

Nico sat down on the stool and muttered 'I might need a fork.'

'Oh, yeah.' Percy laughed. He got Nico a fork and leaned his elbows on the counter across from Nico.

'Where's Annabeth?' Nico asked, a mouthful of food halfway through being chewed.

'At college.' Percy replied.

'Oh. When's she back?' Nico asked.

'Soon, should be about now.' Percy responded, and his comment was followed by the click of a key in the lock of the front door. Annabeth came through into the kitchen/living area with a handful of textbooks and put them down next to Nico on the counter. 'Hey Nico.' She smiled at him and then looked at Percy. 'Any pasta for me?' She said slightly out of breath from carrying all them books up two flights of stairs. Percy and Annabeth didn't take elevators anymore, not after the doors of death.

'Maybe.' Percy teased. 'It's not even tea time.' He exclaimed looking at the clock.

'How come you cooked Nico pasta then?' Annabeth asked, laughing.

Percys face turned serious and Nico stayed silent, eating his pasta. 'Because Nico hasn't eaten anything in two days, and he hasn't eaten a proper meal in two weeks.' Percy explained solemnly.

'Nico!' Annabeth hissed. 'You need to look after yourself properly.'

Nico looked at his almost empty plate awkwardly. They were silent for a few minutes. Finally Nico finished his pasta and Percy washed his plate.

'I think you should go to bed.' He told Nico.

'It's four o clock Percy!' Nico retorted.

'And it's been a long time since you've slept.' Percy fired back.

'You're not my mother Percy.'

'Yes, but I care about you so go to bed.'

'Fine.' Nico huffed and stormed off. He slammed the door to the spare bedroom and then two minutes later Percy saw the light go out from under the door.

'How come Nico's staying?' Annabeth asked Percy in a hushed voice once Nico was shut in the spare room.

'He showed up at the door looking almost dead, he said he didn't have anywhere else to go and asked if he could stay for the night. I said he could stay for as long as he wanted. He said he might stay two nights.' Percy explained.

'He can stay forever if he needs to.' Annabeth said.

'I know he can. We need to buy him some new clothes. All he had on him were the clothes on his back, some ambrosia, an apple, a spare pair of underwear and a blood stained t-shirt. I worry about him.' Percy said.

'We'll go out and buy him some new clothes now then.' Annabeth decided. 'Do you think he'll be okay on his own?'

'Yeah.' Percy said unsurely.

'You don't sound convinced.' Annabeth called him out.

'He'll be fine.' Percy agreed.

And they went. They brought Nico five new t-shirts, three pairs of jeans, a pair of trackies, two hoodies, a pair of converse, some underwear and three pairs of pyjamas. Annabeth decided to buy him a comic book too since Percy had mentioned he used to like the marvel comics when he was little.

'What if he doesn't like them? What if he refuses them?' Percy fretted on the way home.

'I'll make him take them. We didn't spend seventy dollars on him for nothing.' Annabeth said determinedly.

When they got back, she snuck into the spare room and put the clothes on the end of the bed in a neatly folded pile with the comic book on top. She took the clothes he had been wearing when he showed up to wash them and she put a drink of water on the bedside table next to him. She closed the door quietly when she went. She felt so unbelievably sorry for Nico, he was barely fifteen and he was out in the world with no-one to take care of him, so she and Percy would take care of him.


End file.
